


Letting go

by akwardcadabra



Category: Vampire Chronicles - Anne Rice
Genre: A little, Aftercare, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Dom/sub Undertones, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Impact Play, Kinktober, Kinktober 2018, M/M, No Sex, POV Third Person, Whipping, day 22, kind of, light depictions of violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 23:39:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16377239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akwardcadabra/pseuds/akwardcadabra
Summary: But Armand was kneeling before him, hands on his thighs, eyes tightly shut and silently begging Marius to strike him, hurt him and control him.





	Letting go

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t own any of the characters in this story, nor the stories they are from.  
> Enjoy ^^

Marius had found himself in this specific predicament before and not just once. Armand had sought him out before. He had come to him, seeking punishment and pain to let go of his guilt and burdens for a mere hour. And Marius was happy to indulge him even if he was not always fond of the idea of hurting Armand. Some nights he had to overcome himself and others he didn’t.

But Armand was kneeling before him, hands on his thighs, eyes tightly shut and silently begging Marius to strike him, hurt him and control him.

“Just stay like that.” Marius ordered in a weak, uneasy tone. “And don’t make a sound, unless you want me to stop this.”

Armand did not say anything but he opened his eyes to look at the ground in front of him. Marius began walking through the room, looking for the whip with which he usually hit Armand on nights like this.

“Though I know that I will not be able to hurt you quite that badly and even if your wounds will seal themselves quickly, I want you to remember to stop me if this gets too much for you.”

He wanted to indulge Armand, give him what he wanted. He wanted to help him let go of his pain for a few moments but the thought of seriously hurting Armand like this without a proper reason didn’t feel right to him. The boy hadn’t done anything wrong, hadn’t disobeyed anyone.

Armand nodded, not lifting his gaze.

“If you want me to stop say ‘Venice’ and I will cease my actions. These are the times, you might actually speak. Did you understand? I need a verbal answer.”

“Yes, I understand.” Armand answered, finally looking up. “But you cannot hurt me. Not badly and not with long-lasting effects which is a true pity.”

“Surely you wouldn’t come to me with these requests if you didn’t trust me. And don’t mouth off to me.” Marius said softly, his voice steady and calm.

The redhead nodded and dropped his gaze.

“Very well then. First of all, I want you to take off your pullover. Then you will get up and lie on the bed. You will lie down on the silk sheets and stretch your arms. Then you will cross them at the wrists. I will not tie you down. But I trust you to hold still.”

With that Marius sat on his bed, legs bend and the whip next to him. He was still weary but knew that Armand needed the pain, needed this to let go. And afterward, he could apologize, even if the vampire would probably scoff at the idea of Marius offering him aftercare. But the man was going to persist on it; tonight he didn’t want to inflict too much pain on the poor boy. Armand seemed pained enough the last few days.

“Come here, Amadeo.”

Armand moved quickly, taking off his pullover and folding it next to the bed. He then got down and into the position Marius had instructed. The bed shifted as the older vampire rose from it and took the position next to Armand.

“I will strike you 20 times. You will stay quiet and still.” Marius explained.

The tip of the whip pressing against his skin nearly made Armand jump. But he stopped himself and pressed his eyes shut. Marius let the whip glide down his shoulder blades to the curve of his bottom. Armand braced himself for the hit but it never came.

“It’s a true pity to see you like this, so wretched with pain that you need me to hurt you so badly.” Marius said gently and let the whip rest in place. “Still I’m grateful that you come to me with such a manner. You must truly trust me.”

He moved the whip from left to right and let it rest again.

“But you still look as beautiful as ever. I hope that I will be able to relieve your pain for a short amount of time." 

“Will you hit me already?” Armand hissed, turning his head to Marius.

That’s when the blond lifted the whip and brought it down on the boy’s back, leaving a red mark.

“You will not mouth off to me, Amadeo. You will remain calm and still. Do you understand? You may answer.”

Armand’s voice shook ever so slightly. “Yes, Marius.”

The whip cracked through the air again and Marius looked displeased.

“Try again.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Good.” Marius praised. If he praised Armand, he was sure not to feel as guilty about hitting him as he would do otherwise. The vampire underneath him arched his back a little bit, anticipating the next hit. 

Marius then began to whip him in earnest, alternating his patterns and not setting up a rhythm so Armand wouldn’t be able to expect the hits. And sooner than later, bloody cuts and deep red welts were covering Armand’s back as his shoulders shook with quiet sobs. 

A deep feeling of guilt settled in Marius’ chest and he let the whip sink in his hands. The cuts were already healing but Armand was silently crying. Marius nodded to himself and put the whip down on the bed next to Armand.

The redhead quickly turned his head, his curls flying in all directions as he looked up at Marius with scared eyes. His cheeks were tinted red from his tears and his eyes were pleading, yet scared.

“You don’t have to stop.” Armand managed to say. “Don’t stop.”

“Amadeo, this is over.” Marius' voice was soft and gentle but it did little to soothe the crying vampire in front of him. “Your punishment is over.”

“No!” Armand snapped, tears running down his cheeks and staining the blue velvet sheets on the bed. “Go on!”

“I am in charge.” Marius said sternly. “And this is over.”

“I’m speaking out of turn! You should punish me for that!” The boy snapped at him. “Hit me again! Do it, you cowardly vampire!”

When Armand tried to get up, Marius pressed him down onto the bed and held his head to the velvet sheets. “Amadeo, you will not speak to me in such a manner –not in this context. Do you understand? You will not speak to me like that just so I will whip you again.”

“But I should be whipped again.” He sobbed brokenly, his face pressed against the bedding. “Why won’t you strike me again?”

“The punishment is over. You’ve atoned for what you feel you’ve done wrong.” Marius explained gently before sitting down on the bed next to Armand. “I will let go of you now and you will stay like this.”

When Marius let go, Armand shot up onto a sitting position. “You had no problems with whipping me in the past so why now? Why can you not give me what I need, you selfish man?”

He tried to grab Marius’ shoulders but the man grabbed his frail wrists and held them in place for a second before shaking his head. “No, Amadeo. This ends now. You have had enough for one night. I am in charge and I know what’s best for you right now. Do you understand?”

Armand looked at him for second before his gaze softened and a few tears welled up, sliding down his face. “Yes, Master.”

“I want you to stay still now. Let me hold you for a moment until you calm down. And until I, myself, have fully calmed down.”

Armand merely nodded, not wanting to argue anymore and let Marius hold him in his lap, stroking his auburn hair. The older man held him tightly and securely, grounding him. And Armand could feel the tension and the guilt leaving him. Marius had punished him and Marius had forgiven him. He could stop feeling terrible for now. 

When Marius felt Armand’s muscles relax, he allowed a pleased smile to overtake his features. It was over and he wouldn’t have to hurt Armand again for tonight. The younger vampire had been able to let go of his negative feelings and Marius had managed to help him with that. Even if he had hurt Armand, which he didn’t want to do tonight, he had managed to help the boy.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yes.” Armand said quietly. “Thank you, Master.”

“That’s good.” Marius nodded. “And next time you come to me with a request like this, I will not allow you to question my decisions. If I stop the punishment, it’s over and you have been forgiven. I decide when you have been punished enough. Do you understand, Amadeo?”

“Yes, Master.” He whispered and closed his eyes. “I understand. I shouldn’t have questioned your decisions.”

“You’re forgiven. I understand that it’s hard now and then. But you’re forgiven now and I will not hit you again tonight.”

Armand just nodded against the older man’s chest. Marius looked down at the redhead and heaved a sigh.

“Do you wish for me to stay with you for a while longer?”

The redhead nodded. “Just a while longer?”

“As long as you allow me to.”


End file.
